Anthem AV Dealers & Installers — Cinema Processors & Amplifiers

Home Cinema Audio With ARC Room Correction and Anthem Processing

Anthem is our preferred audio video receiver and processor brand for home cinema installations that require serious performance at a price point below Trinnov. The Anthem MRX and AVM ranges combine excellent amplification with ARC Genesis — Anthem’s own room correction system — delivering a level of calibration accuracy that significantly outperforms the auto-correction software found in most home cinema receivers. For rooms where the speaker system and acoustic environment deserve a processor that will properly reveal their capability, Anthem is the recommendation we make most frequently at this tier.

We specify Anthem in dedicated cinema rooms, media rooms and living room cinemas across London, Cheshire, Dubai and the Alps, most often with Artcoustic speaker packages whose high efficiency suits Anthem’s amplification. Every installation is measured and calibrated on site before handover, and the processor is integrated into the wider control system so the whole room responds to a single button. It is a combination that consistently performs well above its price point.

Anthem ARC Genesis — Why Room Correction Matters

The acoustic behaviour of a room is the single largest variable in home cinema audio performance. Even with excellent speakers and a capable amplifier, untreated room reflections, bass modes and frequency imbalances between left, right and surround channels will prevent a system from performing as its specification suggests it should. ARC Genesis — Anthem Room Correction Genesis — addresses this through a comprehensive measurement and equalisation process. A calibrated measurement microphone captures the room’s response at multiple listening positions; the software applies time-aligned, frequency-corrected output to every channel, including Anthem’s Bass Control for precise low-frequency management. The audible result is a more balanced, more coherent system that performs consistently from every seat in the room.

The Anthem MRX Series — Integrated AV Receivers

The Anthem MRX range covers the mid-to-high end of the integrated AV receiver market. The MRX 1140 delivers 11 channels of amplification with full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding, supporting configurations up to 7.2.4 without the need for external amplification. The MRX 740 offers 7 channels. Both include ARC Genesis and support 4K HDR passthrough including Dolby Vision and HDR10+. For Artcoustic-based cinema installations — where the speakers’ high efficiency means that the extra power of separate amplification is not always necessary — the MRX range regularly delivers excellent results without the complexity of a separate processor and power amplifier stack.

Where an MRX is chosen the room is designed around it. Speaker efficiency and impedance, the number of channels the layout needs and the heat the unit produces in the rack are all checked at specification stage, so the receiver is not asked to do more than it should. If a layout grows beyond 7.2.4, the project moves to an AVM with external amplification rather than stretching the receiver.

The Anthem AVM Series — Separates Processors

For larger and more complex cinema systems, the Anthem AVM processor range provides the same ARC Genesis room correction and format decoding in a dedicated pre-amplification unit, partnered with separate Anthem MCA power amplifiers. This separates architecture decouples signal processing from amplification, reducing interference and providing the headroom to drive demanding speaker loads at higher channel counts. The AVM series is the right choice when the speaker count, room scale or installation complexity exceeds what an integrated receiver can manage — while keeping the project below the specification and cost level that Trinnov Altitude demands.

Separate amplification also gives flexibility. Channels can be assigned to amplifier modules to match each speaker’s demands, the rack can be built with space for expansion, and the system can be serviced or upgraded in parts. It is the architecture we use when speaker count or room scale means a single receiver would be running without headroom.

How We Calibrate an Anthem System

ARC Genesis is only as good as the measurements it is given, so we never treat it as a one-click set-up. Before measuring, we confirm speaker positions, levels and distances against the room design, check subwoofer placement and verify that every channel is wired and phased correctly. Measurements are then taken at multiple seats across the listening area, and the target curve and crossover points are adjusted by hand to suit the room and the client’s listening preferences rather than left at the software defaults. The result is checked by ear with reference material before handover, and the calibration files are kept so that the room can be re-measured and compared if furniture or treatment changes later.

Anthem in an Integrated Home

An Anthem processor rarely works in isolation in the homes we design. It sits alongside a Kaleidescape movie server, a projector or television, and Crestron or Control4 control, so a single button can start a film, dim the Lutron lighting and close the blinds. Where the equipment is centralised, the Anthem unit is mounted in the main AV rack with the rest of the system, leaving nothing in the room but the screen and speakers. That combination of serious room correction and complete integration is what makes Anthem our most frequent recommendation below Trinnov.

Anthem vs Trinnov — Which Should You Specify?

Both Anthem and Trinnov deliver excellent performance with serious room correction. The decision comes down to scale and budget. For cinemas with up to 7.2.4 channels where a single well-calibrated processor-amplifier solution is appropriate, Anthem is frequently the right choice — delivering outstanding results at a price point significantly below Trinnov. For large Dolby Atmos installations with 9 or more main channels, for rooms where WaveForming bass control is specified, or for the most demanding clients where only the reference standard will do, Trinnov is the recommendation. Custom Controls specifies both and calibrates both to the same exacting standard.

These thresholds are guides rather than rules. We look at the acoustic design of the room, how many seats need to be well served, the speaker system and how the room will be used, and recommend the processor that suits those, not simply the cheaper or the more expensive option.

Anthem in Practice — Our Case Studies

Anthem appears throughout the Custom Controls case study portfolio. The Surrey home cinema — a purpose-built 6m × 5.5m room with a 3.8m screen, eight electric recliners and an Artcoustic 7.2.2 speaker package — uses an Anthem MRX-720 with ARC for room calibration. The Surrey loft cinema and the Lake District boat house cinema both use Anthem ARC as part of Artcoustic installations. In each case, the combination of a properly calibrated Artcoustic speaker package with Anthem ARC produces a result that significantly outperforms its price point.

Anthem FAQs

• What is Anthem ARC Genesis room correction?
  ARC Genesis is Anthem’s own room correction system. A calibrated measurement microphone captures the room’s response at multiple listening positions, and the software applies time-aligned, frequency-corrected output to every channel, including Anthem’s Bass Control, giving a more balanced and coherent system from every seat.
• What is the difference between the Anthem MRX and AVM ranges?
  The MRX is an integrated AV receiver with built-in amplification. The MRX 1140 has 11 channels with full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding, supporting configurations up to 7.2.4, and the MRX 740 has 7 channels. The AVM is a separate processor partnered with MCA power amplifiers, suited to larger systems where speaker count or room scale exceeds what a receiver can manage.
• Should I choose Anthem or Trinnov?
  Anthem is frequently the right choice for cinemas up to 7.2.4 channels, delivering outstanding results at a price significantly below Trinnov. Trinnov is the recommendation for large Dolby Atmos installations with 9 or more main channels, rooms where WaveForming bass control is specified, and clients who want the reference standard.
• Does Anthem support Dolby Atmos and 4K HDR?
  Yes. Anthem MRX receivers decode Dolby Atmos and DTS:X and support 4K HDR passthrough including Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
• Which speakers suit an Anthem system?
  We most often pair Anthem with Artcoustic speaker packages, whose high efficiency suits Anthem’s amplification. Our Surrey home cinema, Surrey loft cinema and Lake District boat house cinema all combine Artcoustic speakers with Anthem ARC.
• Can Anthem be integrated with Crestron, Lutron and Kaleidescape?
  Yes. An Anthem processor sits alongside a Kaleidescape movie server, a projector or television and Crestron or Control4 control, so a single button can start a film, dim the Lutron lighting and close the blinds.
• How do you calibrate an Anthem system?
  We confirm speaker positions, levels and distances, check subwoofer placement and verify that every channel is wired and phased correctly. Measurements are taken at multiple seats, the target curve and crossover points are adjusted by hand, and the result is checked by ear with reference material before handover.

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